Desperate Times - Stealing Signs.......

About a year ago, all of the real estate directional signs on a major roadway near my home were removed..... At the time I thought the NC DOT was responsible since it was a state road and technically, in NC, you must ask permission to post a directional sign in someone's yard or roadway..... And I think it might actually NOT be legal to post signs on the right-of-way portion of a state road.... (Unless you're running for political office, of course....)

So last night, being a Friday, once again, all of the signs were removed from not only the major state road, but on side roads leading to my home as well. I had one directional sign posted on what I thought was a safe corner for a client. But the sign was lying there without the metal post..... My instant thought was to think that teenage pranksters had been playing games and had pulled up all the signs for some weird kind of thrill.... However, I realized that all of the metal parts of the signs were missing, not the actual signs. Some of the damaged signs actually required removal of various bolts and screw parts.

So at this point, I'm thinking that there is aluminum and steel to be had for the taking to make money to sell at a recycling station. I realize that the economy is bad, blah blah blah. But can you really make that much money selling metal stakes and sign frames? Has anyone experienced a same occurence? Do you think its a sign of the times or just a prank? I don't know. It has me puzzled......